Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laundry treating apparatus.
Discussion of the Related Art
A laundry treating apparatus is a home appliance hat is capable of washing and/or drying laundry (clothes). The laundry treating apparatus includes a washing machine, a drying machine, and a washing and drying machine.
A laundry treating apparatus that is capable of drying laundry supplies high-temperature air (hot air) to the laundry. Based on flow mode of air, the laundry treating apparatus may be classified as an exhaust type laundry treating apparatus or a circulation type (condensation type) laundry treating apparatus.
The circulation type laundry treating apparatus is configured to have a structure in which water is removed from air discharged from a receiving space (i.e. the air is dehumidified), the dehumidified air is heated, and the heated air is resupplied into the receiving space.
The exhaust type laundry treating apparatus is configured to have a structure in which heated air is supplied to a receiving space and air discharged from the receiving space is not resupplied into the receiving space but is exhausted out of the laundry treating apparatus.
Meanwhile, in a conventional laundry treating apparatus, a space to receive laundry is divided into a first receiving space and a second receiving space such that laundry is dried using any one selected from between the first receiving space and the second receiving space based on the amount of the laundry.
Such a laundry treating apparatus includes an exhaust fan to discharge air from the first receiving space. The exhaust fan is rotated by a drive unit to rotate the first receiving space. That is, the first receiving space and the exhaust fan are simultaneously rotated during rotation of the drive unit.
Meanwhile, the laundry treating apparatus as described above is configured such that air in the first receiving space passes through the second receiving space and is then discharged out of the laundry treating apparatus to supply air to both the first receiving space and the second receiving space. However, the laundry treating apparatus has the following problems.
Since the first receiving space and the exhaust fan are rotated by one drive unit, the first receiving space, in which laundry is not placed, may be rotated even when air is supplied only to the second receiving space with the result that a user may think that the laundry treating apparatus may malfunction.
In addition, when only laundry stored in the second receiving space is dried, hot air is introduced into the second receiving space through the first receiving space with the result that drying efficiency is reduced (drying time is increased and temperature of hot air is decreased).